"But most people admire bold actions, and they honor aggressive men while thinking quiet ones are lazy." True, at first glance quiet people might seem that way. But once people see that their calm comes from inner peace rather than laziness, those same crowds start to respect and admire them. So there is nothing useful about anger — that ugly, destructive emotion. It brings only harm: fire and sword. Anger crushes self-control. It soaks its hands in blood. It tears apart families. It leaves nothing untouched by crime. It cares nothing for honor and feels no shame. And once anger hardens into hatred, there is no way to fix it.
"But the common herd admires spirited actions, and bold men are held in honour, while quiet ones are thought to be indolent." True, at first sight they may appear to be so: but as soon as the even tenor of their life proves that this quietude arises not from dullness but from peace of mind, then that same populace respects and reverences them. There is, then, nothing useful in that hideous and destructive passion of anger, but on the contrary, every kind of evil, fire and sword. Anger tramples self-restraint underfoot, steeps its hands in slaughter, scatters abroad the limbs of its children: it leaves no place unsoiled by crime, it has no thoughts of glory, no fears of disgrace, and when once anger has hardened into hatred, no amendment is possible.